WOMEX

WOMEX

WOMEX (short for WOrld Music EXpo) is an international music exposition held annually in different locations throughout Europe, but made in Berlin. It integrates a trade fair, showcases, conferences, film market and awards.

In 2008 WOMEX will return to Sevilla, Andalusia, Spain. Other locations of past WOMEX events: Berlin (1994, 1999, 2000), Brussels (1995), Marseille (1997), Stockholm (1998), Rotterdam (2001), Essen (2002, 2004),
Newcastle upon Tyne (2005) and Sevilla (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008).

The event itself

WOMEX runs the last October weekend of every year. Starting on a Wednesday afternoon for registration and the opening ceremony until Sunday. During WOMEX conference attendees can visit the conference program, the trade fair, the showcases in the evening of Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the WOMEX awards on the last day of the event. Most of the program of WOMEX is being developed for professionals and trade visitors within the world music scene. However, locals and tourist can buy tickets for most of the showcases.

Profile

WOMEX is a worldwide development project dedicated to the creation of an economically sustainable – and fully independent – music industry. It concentrates on helping artists and music professionals in their own countries of operation – and then works to provide international opportunities through trade fairs, conferences, showcases, networking and related efforts. It also actively consults for regional, federal and international governing bodies.

WOMEX program

Showcases

The Showcases continue the policy of presenting the widest possible range of global music stars, secrets and discoveries, with or without a record contract. Most of the showcases can also be visited by the public. Tickets are usually on sale on location as well as in advance sale. WOMEX presents more than three dozen Showcases. For example 2008's showcases included the following artists: 3canal, Abdeljalil Kodssi, Aman Aman, Badila, Bajofondo Tangoclub, Balkan Beat Box, Caravan Palace, Dengue Fever, Electric Kulintang, Ensemble "AltaiKai", Fanfara Tirana, Gaiteiros de Lisboa, Hazmat Modine, Julie Fowlis, Kasai Allstars,La Shica, Lo Còr de la Plana, Majorstuen, Mamani Keita & Nicolas Repac, Maravilla de Florida, Vieux Farka Touré, Mayra Andrade, Melingo, Mono Blanco, Ross Daly Quartet, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Shanbehzadeh Ensemble, Siba e a Fuloresta, Sväng, Taksim Trio, Tanya Tagaq, Tara Fuki, Telmary, The Dizu Plaatjies Ibuyambo Ensemble, Toumast, Umalali & The Garifuna Collective feat. Andy Palacio, Vieux Farka Touré, Yamandu Costa, dunkelbunt, DJ 99, Daladala Soundz

Conference

The Conference is the think-tank of producers, makers and shakers of music and a chance to exchange ideas, pick up new information and network. WOMEX provides a platform for informative, pace-setting, even controversialspeakers.

Trade Fair

Open from Thursday morning and closing on Sunday, the Trade Fair is the nerve centre of WOMEX. WOMEX keeps an equal-stands-for-all rule and a keep-the-volume-down policy helping to create the special WOMEX ambiance.

Film Market

The self-contained Film Market for music documentaries, DVDs and video clips is organised in cooperation with the International Music + Media Centre IMZ [ [http://www.imz.at] www.imz.at] , Vienna, and presents a series of new films on music themes.

Awards

The WOMEX Award honours quality, creativity and success in global music on the international level. The WOMEX & World Music Charts Europe Top Label Awards are the latest addition, paying tribute to world music labels, which have charted most in Europe. The ceremony also features the announcement of the nominees for the
BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music based on the delegates' votes.

Award winners

* 2007: Andy Palacio and Ivan Duran
* 2006: Totó La Momposina
* 2005: Bi Kidude
* 2004: Marc Hollander and Crammed Discs (Label)
* 2003: Freemuse (Institution: World Forum on Music and Censorship)
* 2002: Jivan Gasparyan
* 2001: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
* 2000: Mahotella Queens
* 1999: Juan de Marcos and Nick Gold

WOMEX TV Studio

Introduced in 2007: the WOMEX TV Studio run by Mondomix.It is open to all delegates who will be able to watch live interviews ofartists and professionals conducted by journalists of the Mondomix team.

Partners and Offsprings

One of WOMEX' central aims is to develop partnerships with other (world) music media, partners, networks, trade fairs and festivals. The WOMEX Offspring concept envisages working with local partners from all over the world to tailor an event, program, skills training or project to the precise needs of a given market.

Past and current projects include:
* The co-creation of Brazil’s Porto Musical event in Recife, Brazil, which went on to a partnership with Gilberto Gil and his Ministry of Culture.
* "Via Kaboul," a special showcase on behalf of the Aga Khan’s Music Initiative in Central Asia.
* Advising UNESCO on all music city applicants for its UNESCO Cities of Culture initiative; participating in a conference hosted in Sevilla to discuss the role of commerce in culture.
* A concert program in support of the United Nations project, The Alliance of Civilisations, with co-hosts the Spanish Ministry of Culture (INAEM) and the Fundación Tres Culturas.
* DISMARC, an online project to link digital music archives all over Europe, and overseeing the creation of archive projects that will be offered out to the WOMEX network.
* Providing the voting ‘academy’ for the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards.

virtual WOMEX

virtualWOMEX is a service of WOMEX trade fair. It is a trade fair for world music on the internet.Members can present new projects, new companies, new signings, commercial opportunities, links to articles orawards.

Company

External links

* [http://www.womex.com Official website]
* [http://www.womex.com/virtual/ virtualWOMEX]
* [http://www.myspace.com/womex WOMEX Myspace]
* [http://www.womex.com/realwomex/archive.php All artists who have performed at WOMEX]

Other Music Fairs

* SXSW
* Midem
* Popkomm

References